Expected as a hurricane in Texas - Storm "Beryl" gets closer and closer to the US coast
The US state of Texas is gearing up for the approaching storm "Beryl". For a roughly 400 kilometer wide coastal strip between Baffin Bay and San Luis Pass, a hurricane warning has been issued. Although the storm has recently weakened, the NHC estimates that it may regain hurricane strength (at least 119 km/h) before making landfall on Monday morning (local time).
The latest bulletin from the NHC (11:00 AM CET) locates the storm 395 kilometers southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. With maximum sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour, the tropical storm was moving northwest at 19 kilometers per hour. According to the NHC, its course may turn northward in the coming hours.
"Beryl" has had people on edge for more than a week, having formed in the Atlantic at the end of June. In the Caribbean, it reached the highest hurricane strength, Category 5, with winds exceeding 252 kilometers per hour. It swept over several islands in the Lesser Antilles, made landfall on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and then continued through the Gulf of Mexico.
In Refugio County, Texas, where approximately 7000 people reside, an evacuation order has been issued. In several other Texas counties, residents have been urged to evacuate voluntarily. The acting governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, declared a state of emergency in 121 counties. The meteorologists anticipate heavy rain, flooding, and landslides. Tornados are also possible.
Damage in Mexico and devastation in the Caribbean
In Mexico, "Beryl" uprooted trees and overturned road signs. In widely popular tourist regions between Tulum and Cancun, power outages occurred.
In the Caribbean region, at least eleven people have died, including three in Venezuela. According to the governments of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, more than 90% of the houses in these countries were damaged or destroyed. On Jamaica, according to JPS, over 250,000 households were still without electricity on Saturday.
Never before in the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June and lasts for half a year, has such a powerful storm struck so early. Warmer sea water due to climate change increases the likelihood of strong hurricanes.
- Despite the warning, some residents in Corpus Christi, Texas, have shown reluctance to leave, citing previous storms that never materialized as heavily as predicted.
- The hurricane warning also extends to the coastal strip of Mexico, particularly the city of San Luis, where authorities are advising residents to prepare for potential impacts.
- The Hurricane Beryl is expected to bring adverse weather conditions to Barbados and other neighboring islands in the Caribbean, raising concerns about possible power outages and property damage.
- Weather forecasters have warned that Hurricane Beryl could potentially influence the climate in areas as far away as Santa Cruz, Venezuela, necessitating close monitoring and potential evacuation measures.
- In light of the approaching storm, the cruise lines operating out of the Port of Galveston in Texas have temporarily rerouted or cancelled several itineraries, affecting travel plans for thousands of tourists.
- Hurricane Beryl has been identified as one of the storms due to impact the Lesser Antillean islands this year, following a pattern of severe weather disturbances in the region, such as Tropical Storm Chris in early July.
- At a press conference, the mayor of Port Aransas, Texas, which lies on the storm's projected path, emphasized the importance of obeying evacuation orders and taking preparedness measures to ensure public safety.
- The Hurricane Center in Miami, closely monitoring the trajectory and strength of Hurricane Beryl, has released daily bulletins, providing updates on the storm's advancement in the Gulf of Mexico and its projected impact on coastal areas along the USA and Mexico.
